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Amongst all the top European clubs, Barcelona arguably had the most decisive transfer window. The Catalans not only lost their talisman, Lionel Messi due to La Liga's financial implications, but also had to endure a chaotic deadline day. With the window slamming shut for the next four months, Barcelona will have to make do with their current squad for at least the first half of the 2021-22 season.
Barcelona experienced multiple changes in personnel
The initial phase of the transfer window proved to be really fruitful for the Blaugrana, with Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia, Emerson Royal, and Memphis Depay arriving for a combined fee of €9m.
However, economic limitations soon turned the tide for the worse, with Lionel Messi's departure signaling a wave of misfortune. The sale of Junior Firpo and the aforementioned Royal did recoup €40m in transfer fees but left the full-back positions at Camp Nou completely exposed.
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Barcelona also bid farewell to contract rebel Ilaix Moriba as well as promising winger Francisco Trincao, who joined Wolves on a season-long loan. However, things were aggravated to the next level when Atletico Madrid confirmed the signing of Antoine Griezmann on loan, with an obligation to buy him for a mere €40m. The Catalan giants were left flustered by this ordeal and responded meekly by signing Luuk de Jong on loan as the Frenchman's replacement.
Following such a disappointing window, Barcelona will have to shift their focus to the ongoing season, all the while licking their wounds. With no further room for errors, the Blaugrana will have to be absolutely shrewd in picking the first team.
On that note, let's take a look at 4 players that ideally, should never play for Barcelona again.
#4 Samuel Umtiti
Samuel Umtiti is probably the most unwanted man in Catalonia at the time of writing. Once a highly-rated defender and a mainstay in the Barcelona first-team, Umtiti's reputation has taken a huge nosedive due to consistent injury troubles. In addition, the French center-half has looked highly error-prone whenever he has stepped onto the pitch in recent times.
However, with a hoard of mediocre defenders on their payroll, his apparent incapacity at the back is not the main concern for Barcelona. In fact, the Catalans are well stacked in the center-back department even if Umtiti is discounted. Instead, his gargantuan wages are the main thing that is constantly crippling the club. Umtiti appallingly earns more on an annual basis at Camp Nou than his actual worth. With a market valuation of €8m and a yearly salary of close to €13m, the Frenchman is persistently burning a hole in Barcelona's pocket.
With six registered first-team center-backs, the Blaugrana have more than sufficient depth at the heart of the defence but of middling quality. None of Barcelona's defensive options can be labeled world-class anymore. However, adding a seventh defender is easier said than done considering the club's financial status. Therefore, a sacrifice at the back is a much-needed ask from Barcelona and Samuel Umtiti's current status makes him the perfect candidate to get the chop.
#3 Neto
A surprise inclusion on this list for many, Neto has acted as a decent deputy to Marc-Andre ter Stegen whenever he is called upon. The Brazilian shot-stopper was purchased for a sizeable fee of €26m from Valencia and has since gone on to keep seven clean sheets in 19 Barcelona appearances. Nevertheless, if Neto were to never play for the club again, it would be beneficial for all parties involved.
At 32, the former Juventus goalkeeper is expected to be in his peak years, a prime that he is spending on Barcelona's bench. The more time he spends in the wilderness, the more hit his current market value will take.
Neto remains a sellable asset for the club and has the caliber to bring in a decent amount of cash. Considering the financial predicament the Catalans are in right now, selling a valuable asset with just 1,740 minutes to show for his two years at the club should be a no-brainer.
Furthermore, for the time that Neto plays second fiddle to ter Stegen, no other goalkeeper will be able to make a dent in the given spot. Case in point: talented 22-year-old goalie Inaki Pena.
Despite graduating from Barcelona's esteemed academy with obvious potential, Pena hasn't had the chance to prove himself at club level. With the young Spaniard all but ready to play back-up to ter Stegen, Neto's immediate departure could prove to be a blessing in disguise for Pena as well as Barcelona.
Also read: Ranking 5 clubs with the worst transfer window in La Liga
#2 Miralem Pjanic
Miralem Pjanic's 'dream move' to Barcelona has been a complete disaster for all concerned parties. The Bosnian midfielder was widely known for his innovative skills through which he created chances out of nowhere, before his transfer to the Catalan giants. Due to minimal game-time, Pjanic failed miserably to showcase his most reliable abilities, racking up a total of zero goal contributions in his debut campaign.
However, with just 30 games under his belt, of which only five occasions ended with Pjanic playing the full 90 minutes, not much blame can be placed on the Bosnian's shoulders. Purchased for a monumental fee, you'd expect a €60m signing to start every game of the week. On the contrary, Pjanic could only muster 13 starts in his maiden season before being shipped off to Besiktas on a season-long loan.
The club's failure to incorporate a proven star while paying him an insane amount of money has caused both of them a great deal of pain. While Pjanic is no longer the player he was with Juventus, Barcelona had to bear his colossal annual salary of €12.7m for a whole season.
While in a generous act, the 31-year-old playmaker did take a 60% cut on his current wages before being exiled to Turkey, his future with Barcelona is bleak at best. To avoid further embarrassment, a mutual termination of his contract would be the best outcome, with Ronald Koeman showing no intentions of including the €60m signing in his squad.
#1 Martin Braithwaite
In usual cases, a striker with a tally of two goals and an assist in the opening three games of the season will never end up on such kinds of lists. However, Martin Braithwaite is not your average striker. The Danish target has always played for low-tier teams, turning out for the likes of Middlesbrough and Leganes over the course of his career.
Braithwaite was signed up as an emergency recruitment following injuries to multiple attackers. He was expected to play a similar kind of role to Kevin-Prince Boateng during his bizarre six-month loan spell with the club.
Nevertheless, the mediocre frontman managed to extend his stay by a whole season and is currently a regular starter at a club of Barcelona's stature. While an average attacking output justifies his constant inclusion in the first team, Braithwaite's lengthy stint with the 26-time La Liga champions is a thing of concern.
This encourages the exact kind of behavior that Barcelona desperately need to avoid in order to regain their status as the best club in Spain. A supposed European powerhouse cannot dream of re-conquering what was once their empire unless they stop accommodating mediocrity.
Braithwaite's output of just 10 goals of sub-par quality in 56 appearances should result in expulsion and not a starting position in one of the most esteemed institutions in modern football. To retain their position at the top, Barcelona desperately need to get rid of certain players and the likes of Martin Braithwaite should be the first names on such a list.
Also read: 5 players Barcelona should not use regularly in the 2021-22 season
